The Year That Was 2013

by Leanne Cole on December 31, 2013

This has been the biggest year of my blogging career and the most rewarding. The year began after I had completed the blogging everyday for a year, and I had thought I would continue doing that, however, I haven’t posted every day this year, but pretty close.

I had around 8,400 followers at the start of the year and that has steadily climbed to over 20,000, which I am so happy about. I have been getting lots of comments over recent days about how I inspire you, and I have to say that you all inspire me so much. I know that I try a lot harder to get great images because I don’t want to disappoint you and every time I write I think about all of you and hope you like what I am writing or the photos I am showing you. So to each and every one of you, thank you for this year, I am very grateful.

At the end of 2012 I was giving the opportunity to photograph some of the interiors of the Manchester Unity Building, which was mainly completed in the first few months of 2013. It was the biggest job I had ever undertaken and was one which I have learned the most, on how to conduct myself, but also on learning new ways of doing photoshop. I learned the difference between destructive editing and non-destructive editing. It was a fantastic opportunity for me.

For the last few years my new year has always started with the Bay Crits and then onto lots of other cycling events. In 2013 this was the only racing I photographed. For personal reasons, and from a business point of view it was time to stop. For me, in the end, it just wasn’t worth it. It was hard work and no real rewards.

Part of my dealings with the City of Melbourne lead me to be allowed to go and photograph the Council Chambers in the Melbourne Town Hall. I worked on the photos for weeks as I showed them to you. I really enjoyed this series of work.

As I said the other day working with Deaf Children Australia has been an incredible experience and one that I have really enjoyed. I have been given some great opportunities here as well and to be able to go there and take photos of whatever I like, when I like, has been brilliant. I would also like to thank them for all their help and for allowing me to go there.

Inverleigh

Of course, as I have spoken over the weekend, one of the best things I started doing was my Weekend Wandering posts. They were really good for me, because they made me get out there and take photos. I am sure I have spoken to you before about how I am a lazy person, well, for me the WWs made me get out. I have been to places that I might not have visited if I didn’t need to get images to show you.

I think one of the things that I have found wonderful has been showing Melbourne to you, and my state of Victoria as well. I have learned so much about my city because I wanted to get more images for you. It has been great to see how many of you love the images of Melbourne, and even better to see how many people would love to come here and visit.

Painting by Rick Amor, Niagra Galleries

I started my influencing me posts so I could show you the artists that have had an influence on me and my work. Rick Amor, above, was the first of these. These posts grew, and I started featuring other photographers from WordPress, though the title changed to Introductions. I know people think I do a lot of work for these, but it isn’t as much as you would think. I love seeing what people think of the artists I show and the responses have been wonderful.

For me one of the biggest changes has been the portraits. I watched Brooke Shaden on creativeLIVE and my world changed. I knew I wanted to do portraits, but I didn’t want to do the ones of people looking at the camera just smiling and being nice. I wanted more, and through the workshop she did I started to see that I could do more.

Compositing is something else I’ve been experimenting with and through creativeLIVE I have been learning how to do that with Photoshop. I think I have the artistic background to help make it work. I understand light and how shadows work. It is an exciting time for me.

Finishing the year off with the biggest job I have ever had, photographing the Christmas Festival for the City of Melbourne, has been phenomenal. Yet another fantastic opportunity. I loved doing it and I hope they loved the images I got for them.

Writing for another blog has also been wonderful and I have really enjoyed that, and I have so appreciated the support that you have given me there in helping to make it successful.

Teaching has been a rewarding experience too. I started teaching in 2012, but this year I have done a lot more. I have taught quite a few classes, and I am learning all the time how to be a better teacher. It is great to help people learn how to take photos and to be better photographers.

I almost forgot to mention my gear, this year I got a new camera, the Nikon D800, I got two new lenses, the Nikon 50mm 1.8 and the Nikon 14-24mm 2.8. I also got a new speedlight, the Nikon SB910. Did I mention that Santa bought me a new tripod as well. I have been a lucky girl, and I really do have to thank Nikon for all their help.

It has been an amazing year, and once again, thank you. I am going to put some of my favourite work from the year in a gallery for you, I hope it isn’t too long. I know some of it I will have shown in the last few days, but I hope you will indulge me.

It’s been wonderful to see photographs of such consistent quality from you in every post this year Leanne, and also to see how you’ve tried to do different things and tackle different subjects always with such skill and artistic brilliance! Have a great new year :) Mike

It has been great to have an audience who have indulged me and followed me through all of this, that is my inspiration. It has been a great year, and all the more for all of you. I have enjoyed the experiments, some worked, some didn’t, but it has been great to push and keep trying things. Thank you so much and all the best for 2014. :)

Thank you, Leanne, for sharing your (he)art. You do, indeed inspire me to go out and take lots more photos. I also appreciate your photos of around Melbourne, it is such a beautiful city – probably the best city in Oz. Your images of around Victoria are also inspiring (hopefully I will make it down to Queenscliff to share some of this part as well), as are your portraits. Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year, and may it be filled with more of your magical images.

If I inspire people to do that, then I think I am doing a great job. Providing inspiration is fantastic. I love Melbourne, and I think it is a fabulous city as well. I hope you do get down there, I am hoping to get out next month and get more photos. Thank you for your support, it is so appreciated. All the best for 2014, may you take many many beautiful images.

Don’t get me started Amy, I am on the verge too, people are saying some really beautiful things and I am finding it all rather emotional. Thank you so much Amy, thank you for your lovely comments and for visiting, it is so appreciated, and all the best to you and your photography in 2014. :)

I think I started following your blog either early this year or late last year when you were doing the adjustments tot he building interiors. I have enjoyed seeing your work and hope to continue to do so in 2014

Your work has been tremendously inspiring Leanne and I look forward to seeing where 2014 takes you on your creative journey-best wishes for a tremendous New Year and thank you for being so generous with your time and your art-all best, Meg

Inspiration comes from all sorts of places doesn’t it, I get so much from all of you, so thank you. I am excited about the new year and can’t wait to start working on some things. Meg, giving my time is a pleasure, thank you for all your support, and all the best in 2014.

Thank you Nia, I was worried I might have gone on too much, then I would finish and remember other stuff I wanted to say, so it is long. I am so glad you have been throughout as well, and then meeting you was even better. It has been a brilliant year.
Happy New Year to you as well, and all the best for 2014, let’s hope we both find a lot of success.

Thank you so much Tracy, that is fantastic to hear, it always great to know that I inspire others and that drives me on. So many plans for next year, so lots more to come. Happy New Year to you Tracy, all the best for 2014.

Leanne the quality of your work is amazing. I am inspired that you started with a 365 blogging project. As I begin my own quest for quality photography in 2014, the community of WordPress will nudge me to be better … friends without faces, Thank you, Happy New Year!

I didn’t really start with that, but it is what got me into blogging in a more serious manner, I was a bit all over the place before that. The WordPress community is fantastic for that, it does drive to be better. Yes, friends without faces, strange, but really wonderful. Thank you so much Sally and Happy New Year to you too.

Thank you Leanne, for all the work you put into this blog and your photos. I don’t remember how I discovered your blog, but I’m glad I did (and I’m not into photography blogs at all! Now…a different story). Seeing your passion and hard work for photography has inspired me to blog more. I really liked the Melbourne photos you took – am familiar with most of the locations you’ve photographed and I get so happy when I see them in photos. Happy New Year, and may 2014 be a good year for you :)

You don’t need to thank me for that Mabel, I am just happy that people don’t mind me rambling on at times. I am honoured that you chose to follow my blog and I bet you do know a lot of the places I have photographed. It is wonderful to hear that I inspire others, I used to find it a little strange, but I think the inspiration goes both ways. All the best for 2014 to you as well, maybe we will run into one another somewhere ;) Thank you so much, good luck with your blog.

Must have been such a fruitful year! :) Piggletino loves your blog; it gives his scout motivation to work on Photography (ok, the scout isn’t working hard enough, obviously) … Thanks for sharing your adventures and photos, and have a great year ahead!

I’m glad to hear you’ve got such a large following …. it’s well-deserved! Your photos are always wonderful, they brighten my day, and you’ve helped me get over my phobia about processing my photos. Seeing all the lovely processing you do with your photos encouraged me to revisit my photos, and to start reworking them, giving them a new look and feel.

Thank you John, what a wonderful thing to say. That is also fantastic to hear, it is great to know that I give people inspiration and courage to try things. I hope you are liking editing a lot more now.
Happy New Year to you too John, all the best for 2014.

Thanks and all the best to you in the new year. You are not only very creative but a most generous person – a nice combination for an artist! Although we are not quite to 2014 here (yet) – I raise a glass of cheer to you and your family for only good things in the coming year.

I raise my glass back to you Robert, thank you for the kind words and best wishes, I hope you find many more things to photograph with the D100 and lots of abandoned buildings to explore. All the best for 2014.

Wow! 20,000 followers! How did that happen?!? To me it seems impossible to reach such a high number. Anyway, just wanted to wish you a happy new year. Looking forward to see what you come up with in 2014.
All the best!

Yes, it has been quite amazing, fills me with a sense of responsibility, but in a good way, makes me want to keep improving and providing good content. Thank you so much Cardinal, all the best to you in 2014 as well, hope you have a great year.
Take care.

Thank you for liking “Timepieces for the New Year.” I have enjoyed looking at your photography over the past year. I am glad to hear that 2013 was a rewarding year for you. Congratulations, and I hope 2014 will be a great year for you as well. :)

Dear Leanne,
Your work is stunning. And I would just like to say thank you for inspiring me. I am rediscovering my passion for photography and I am so moved by your work. I have so much to learn but your work is such a source of motivation. Thank you for putting your work out there and I look forward to seeing more of it this year!
Kim

Thank you Kim, what a lovely comment. I hope you continue to discover your passion and keep going and take some amazing photos. You are very welcome, and I hope there will be lots more.
All the best with your photography this year.

My husband and I really love your photography! He was so impressed with your photos, he loves the darkness in them. :) I do, too. They are all absolutely stunning! There’s so much I still need to learn – especially about light/dark and proper exposures, etc. Practice makes better, right? Have a blessed and wonderful New Year!

Thank you so much Em, that is so wonderful to hear. Some people don’t like my dark images, and I have to admit I have steered away from them, but this year I really want to get back into doing more. I think we all have lots to learn, I know there are still many things I want to learn about. Practice most definitely makes better, practice, practice, practice. That is what I tell people. Just keep trying and experimenting. Good luck with it and thank you, all the best to you for this year.

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Please be aware that all the images on this blog are the property of me, Leanne Cole, and therefore are copyrighted. Please do not copy or steal any of the images. If you wish to use one or more then please contact me and we can discuss use and costs, if any.